Van Marwijk will announce squad on Thursday

Monday 24 May 2010

Dutch Bondscoach Bert van Marwijk will name his definitive squad for South-Africa next Thursday, the day after the friendly against Mexico. He did say however he wants to have certainty about the seriousness of some injuries.

The preliminary squad now contains 27 players. Ryan Babel injured his hamstring on Friday and is training apart from the rest of the team at the moment. Van Marwijk is positive about the Liverpool forward. "The way it looks now he interrupted training just in time. But we have to be careful with him. There will be no World Cup for him if he hurts himself again."

Van Marwijk did not want to speculate about possible players to be dropped. "But you can think for yourselves, can't you," he told the Dutch press core at a press conference in Seefeld.

He did however confirm that up front he has to make a choice between Babel, Eljero Elia and Jeremain Lens.

It is also expected that he will strike one midfielder from the list and Orlando Engelaar looks like a serious candidate.

The squad also contains three players for the left back position - Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Edson Braafheid and Vurnon Anita - and it could well be that one of these three has to go.

Of the other defenders Ron Vlaar and Khalid Boulahrouz also didn't make a great impression in the first week of training.

Van Marwijk will use Wednesday's friendly against Mexico to have a look at some of the players who he still has doubts about. Wesley Sneijder, Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben will join the squad on Thursday.